Rui Hachimura ‘Involved’ in Lakers Trade Rumors

Highlights

The Los Angeles Lakers need to build a stronger roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis to stay competitive in the West.
Rui Hachimura could be a valuable trade asset for the Lakers this summer.
The Lakers’ coaching situation and LeBron’s decisions will impact off-season moves.

While the L.A. Lakers had moments of dominance against the Denver Nuggets in the first round, it was clear that the roster wasn’t talented enough to hang with the defending champions. The Lakers are knee-deep in their search for a head coach, but they must simultaneously address other concerns with the roster to maximize the offseason.

For the Lakers to be relevant in the Western Conference next season, they will need more competent players around LeBron James and anthony davis . While James is eligible to opt out of his deal to become a free agent, he is expected to stay with the Lakers. With all the uncertainty in L.A. right now, it can be hard to know what direction they will go. However, a recent report hinted at the possibility of the team trading their 26-year-old star to bring James and Co. more help.

The Lakers Are Open to Moving Rui Hachimura

No. 26 was acquired at The 2023 Trade Deadline.

Rui Hachimura warms up for the L.A. Lakers

Rui Hachimura spent time training with James last summer. Entering the season, fans were excited to see how he would reap the benefits of learning from a mastermind like No.23. Hachimura was anticipated to be one of the Lakers’ five best players, and it wasn’t a stretch to say that he was primed to have a breakout season, especially after his impressive play in the playoffs.

Hachimura was dubbed as the team’s best perimeter on-ball defender. But all of this might have been good enough to effectively make Hachimura a valuable trade for the team this summer.

According to Lakers Beat Writer Jovan Buha, the Lakers aren’t actively shopping the 26-year-old. But he is one of their movable assets, unlike Austin Reaves, who the Lakers will perhaps deem untouchable.

“By no means are [the Lakers] trying to dump Rui [Hachimura] somewhere, Buha said. “You could do something like Gabe [Vincent] and [Jared Vanderbilt] … there are different ways this can all play out. Teams are certainly going to ask for Austin Reaves, and the Lakers are going to fight them on that and try to keep Austin Reaves. But when trying to match salaries and project realistic trades, Rui is almost certainly going to have to be involved and that’s just the reality of the matter.”

Despite having a lot of big decisions to make this offseason, trading Hachimura doesn’t appear to be something the Lakers feel they must do. But if the opportunity presents itself, they won’t hesitate to deal him to return bigger talent.

What Stands in The Way of a Lakers Trade?

Without a head coach, L.A. has a ton of dealing to do

The Lakers’ vision for next season won’t come into full focus until they hire a new head coach. Hachimura is an important piece for the roster, but the team’s roster situation and his tradeable salary could make him a gateway to adding another superstar.

This also depends on James’ future with the franchise. They can either work on his $51.4 million player option for next season or initiate a new deal. What the NBA’s all-time leading scorer chooses to do is something we wait eagerly to learn.

Hachimura’s $17 million salary could be very appealing to teams that are looking for size and shooting. His 13.6 points per game this season was his second-highest total in the NBA (13.8 in 2020-21). He’s also shot over 40 percent from 3-point range in two of the last three seasons, including a 42.2 percent success rate this past year.

Considering that they don’t have any significant cap space — especially if James opts in or signs a new deal — the Lakers will have to watch the trade market. They have been linked to superstars like Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young . They will use their three first-round picks to try to land a third star.